Genetic Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 M pro Reveals High Sequence and Structural Conservation Prior to the Introduction of Protease Inhibitor Paxlovid

• DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00869-22
• Publication Date: 2022-07-13T13:00:50Z
• Authors: Jonathan T. Lee; Qingyi Yang; Alexey Gribenko; B. Scott Perrin; Yuao Zhu; Rhonda Cardin; Paul A. Liberator; Annaliesa S. Ande...; Li Hao
• Keywords: Pandemic; 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak; Coronavirus; Sequence (biology)

The recent authorization of oral severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antivirals, such as Paxlovid, has ushered in a new era the COVID-19 pandemic. emergence variants, well selective pressure imposed by antiviral drugs themselves, raises concern for potential escape mutations key drug binding motifs.